White Rock Lake is a reservoir located in north-east American city of Dallas, Texas. White Rock Creek, which today widens into the lake before continuing south out of the spillway and emptying into the Trinity River, was dammed to create the lake. The lake covers 1,254 acres (5.1 km2) in the east Dallas community.
Do you want to travel at White Rock Lake?
For more information, keep reading.
Table of Contents
White Rock Lake At A Glance
- Around White Rock Lake, there are numerous entrances, parks, and locations.
- Many different parking lots are available. On the whole, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a spot, although it can get crowded on the weekends.
- There are numerous recreational activities happening all the time.
- Despite the size of the lake, jet skiing and motor boating are prohibited.
- Swimming is not allowed.
- There are restrooms, though they are not luxurious.
Activities At White Rock Lake
- The 9.3-mile jogging/biking trail at White Rock Lake is presumably the reason it is used so frequently. Many people enjoy riding their bikes to the lake and then taking the trail around the entire lake.
- It is a well-known location for kayaking; White Rock Paddle Co offers boat rentals; reserve your kayak here in advance!).
- And if you’ve got a dog, they will fall in love with the White Rock Lake Dog Park
- There are pavilions that you can book in order to host a party.
- For a more casual fiesta, have a picnic at one of the park benches around the lake
- Bring the family, of course! Around the lake, there are a number of playgrounds spread out in different locations. This one is in the park that is located at the intersection of Lake Highlands and Buckner.
The Bath House Cultural Center
Visit the Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake for an interesting activity.
The center’s past is quite interesting. As a place where people could change, rent swimsuits, etc., the center was established in 1930. when going for a dip in the lake.
The Bath House was abandoned for more than 20 years after Dallas outlawed swimming in the lake in 1953.
In 1981, it underwent another transformation to become a cultural hub.
It is now utilized as a theater, a gallery, and a museum. Artwork and historical artifacts are kept there.
Check it out for yourself!
History Of White Rock Lake
Before it was a lake, White Rock Lake was a collection of farms owned by the households of Daniel and Cox. The Family Bible of Thomas Walker Daniel contains the first mention of the Daniel family farm. In the late 1830s and early 1840s, he and his wife Frances Herndon Daniel appear to have relocated to the White Rock neighborhood. During the Civil War, Cox was a close friend of Daniel’s son. After the war, the Cox family relocated to a plot of land next to the Daniels. The Daniel-Cox Cemetery was a joint family plot owned by them all. The cemetery was jointly maintained by several pioneer families, including the Humbards, Glovers, Lavenders, McCommases, Coxes, and Donagheys.
Due to a water shortage in Dallas, construction on White Rock Lake started in 1910. After the lake was finished in 1911, residential development grew in its vicinity. In the early 1930s, the Dallas Park Board started converting the lakeshores into a city park with the aid of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Winfrey Point saw the construction of the eight barracks that made up the White Rock CCC Camp. The CCC men spent many years enlarging and enlarging the lake, constructing numerous structures out of limestone rock, and enhancing the park’s recreational facilities.
World War II began, and the U.S. For new recruits, the Army used the CCC camp as their induction location. 403 German POWs who had served in Rommel’s Afrika Corps were housed in the Winfrey Point barracks in 1943 by the government.
Due to a drought and Dallas’ expanding population, the beaches of White Rock hosted their final swimmers on September 1, 1952, in order to preserve a clean water supply.
White Rock Lake Park, which offered picnic areas and jogging and bicycle paths, was a hub of recreational activity for central Dallas by 1992.
All that is left of the Daniel and Cox farms is the old “Cemetery for the Daniel-Cox family.” The Daniel family fell upon hard times and when the cemetery was renovated, the Cox family contributed funds to renovate the cemetery so the current sign reads “Cox Cemetery”.
About White Rock Lake Park
White Rock Lake is a more than 1,015-acre urban oasis with more than nine miles of trails and a stunning view of the Dallas skyline. Kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, biking, and hiking are popular outdoor activities.
